Royal Upturn
by New 90s Heat
Summary: After the war closes, Leonie is quick to jump on Claude's promise to show her how big the world is. But this is Claude. Things obviously aren't going to be so simple when he's involved.
1. Chapter 1

_**—BIG SPOILER WARNING—**_

_**This takes place a few months after Verdant Wind, so spoilers will probably play a big role in what I have planned.  
**_

* * *

"Are you sure you wanna go through with this, lassie? I know Almyra's been goin' through some reforms recently, but it might still be too dangerous for a young Fódlan woman like yerself."

The woman in question brushed past the concerned sailor and got off board. "I already paid the fare, _Captain_. If you knew me like the man I'm meeting with does, you wouldn't even question my decision to co-"

"Wait-wait-wait," The sailor interrupted her. "You came to Almyra to meet with a _man? _Are you naïve, gullible? Dare I say, _mad_ even?"

She didn't like the implications of that statement. Even more so now that the united Fódlan's new ruler was working to change uninformed attitudes towards the outside world like this.

"My answer is: none of your business, thank you very much. Until we meet again." And with that, the woman turned away for the last time and stepped onto land. She wondered if cutting through the mountains would have been a more worthwhile adventure than simply sailing around them, but when she finally entered town, her spirits were uplifted once again.

Leonie just couldn't wait to see Claude again.

* * *

Being a king was certainly a greater challenge than Claude had expected. If it weren't for the support of Nader and the new vassal he was given, he may have collapsed under the stress already. Sure, it was nice how relaxed Almyra was towards its royalty, but a 24-year-old king needed guidance. His efforts toward making Almyra friendlier towards other countries and downplaying the warrior culture a tad was met with indifference and blatant scoffing from other Almyran leaders.

Claude remained quietly in his seat as the week's council came to a close. As expected, King Claude remained firm on his stance on foreign relations. While his experiences in the war and in the Officers Academy have given his ideals credit, some major figures in the governing body argued that the King was simply working to the benefit of the Leicester Alliance. Fair enough.

In fact, some rumors had surfaced that Claude had taken the throne forcefully from his father through poisoning, hence the latter's weakened state. His reputation for cunning certainly preceded him, but that was just downright insulting, especially for someone who was expected to rule over a warrior culture.

They couldn't outright defy him as he was King, but they certainly weren't making it any easier to spread his message to the people.

As the others attending the council made their exit, Claude's young retainer approached him from behind and placed a hand on the headrest of his chair.

"Just give it some time, my King. Soon enough, they will warm up to your ideals and accept you as their ruler."

Claude turned his head sharply to his subordinate. Only one year his senior, Rihards was a surprisingly comforting presence. Though they've only known each other for a few months, Claude has felt surprisingly set with this new retainer of his.

At first, Claude was hoping to meet some people before being able to choose his vassal later. Not long after he ascended the throne, Rihards was brought to the palace by Nader. A true Almyran, the young man was raised a mercenary, but had the wit and intuition of a court officer. Claude wasn't entirely sure about having someone else behind his schemes, but after meeting the man, he warmed up quickly.

"I hope you're right. As far as I can tell some of these snobby martials still see me as some outsider. For a bunch of Almyrans upholding our warrior ways, they sure love to cling on to petty politics."

Rihards gave Claude a soft smile, his headband tilted downwards to the right side of his head. "They are just concerned, that's all. This is a time of great fluctuation, so they want to ensure that our next step is for the best of the Almyran people. You are the king's legitimate heir. They will not question that."

Claude shook his head and sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "Thanks, Rihards. You always know what to say in these kinds of situations."

He silently wondered how long it would be until he met with any of his friends in Fódlan again. More still, how long it would be before he ever reunited with his old professor.

* * *

It reassured Leonie to learn that Almyra's taverns weren't too different from the ones in the Leicester Alliance. Byleth was kind enough to bestow Leonie with enough money to pay off her debt to Sauin Village. The monetary compensation for her contributions to the war effort allowed her to make this trip immediately. Nobody here needed to know that she was here to meet with the prince. That's what Claude was, right?

As soon as the Almyran patrons took note of the fair-skinned woman in Fódlan-styled armor, the entire tavern went down a few decibels. This was not lost on Leonie.

One customer was very quick to call her out.

"You from the Alliance? What's a Fódlan girlie like you doin' in a place like this all on yer lonesome?" An older man, seated at the bar with a mug in hand. His beard was wet with ale, and he was dressed in light armor. A mercenary, perhaps. A few too many drinks in too, probably.

Leonie simply ignored the man and turned to the bartender, but the man wouldn't have it.

"'ey! 'm talkin' to ya. They don't teach you to respect yer elders in Fódlan, is that it? You a noble or sumthin'?"

Leonie pllaced a finger on his nose and pushed him back gently. His breath reeked of alcohol. "I'm a peasant girl, thank you very much," She turned to the bartender. "What do you recommend?"

The customer simply laughed as the bartender turned away from her.

"Hey, I'm a customer here, what-" She trailed off as a large shadow loomed over her.

The merc girl turned around to face a large man with no shirt, but suspenders. He was completely bald save for his chest and eyebrows, and a gut sat in place of a six-pack.

"Don't touch my brother!" The man threw an overhand punch at Leonie, who barely reacted in time to dodge the blow.

"Whoa! Are you crazy!?" The large man threw another haymaker which she dodged again. This time, however, the punch collided with the counter and broke wood.

The bartender's eyes widened in shock. "We just got this counter replaced!" He shouted.

"Don't worry I got her!" The drunken bearded man from before ran over and grabbed Leonie from behind. "Hit her now!"

To no avail, as Leonie reared her head back and hit the man in the face. She managed to roll out of the way as the large bald man threw a solid right hook into his brother's neck.

"Oh, Goddesses! I just came in here to get a drink!" She then accidentally knocked the man's glass over on the counter, the liquid content which then landed on his unconscious body,

Laughter erupted from some of the tables around the tavern. Though the first man was knocked out cold on the floor, his dull brother had finished apologizing to him before turning his attention to her again.

"You'll pay for that!"

"I haven't ordered anything yet." Leonie took her gloves off and jumped at him. A cry of cheers sounded around the tavern as the attention was now entirely on the newcomer and her new predicament.

Leonie could pack a hard one, but nothing seemed to be hurting the guy. After eating three uppercuts and even an elbow, the blood leaking out of his nose was the only indication that he was getting hit. Not only was this guy dumb as rocks, he was too stupid to even register pain!

He chuckled. "The little Fódlan girl can't hurt me!"

"Get his legs!" Someone shouted.

Taking the random advice, Leonie swept at the man's feet with a low kick. The man staggered a bit before regaining his balance against a pole.

She considered grabbing the lance on her back for a moment before deciding against it. She didn't know how the other patrons would react to something like that.

Another punch dodged. Another punch thrown; This time into the man's gut. Her fist simply bounced backwards as though she had punched a trampoline. The force surprised her and she examined her arm.

Perhaps a bit unwise, as the momentary distraction was enough for the man to hit her in the face with another punch.

"Ooooh!" The audience reacted again.

Still, the little alliance peasant girl stayed on her feet. She spit out some blood and turned back to her opponent, smirking.

"Okay. Now you've pissed me off." Leonie hopped onto a chair, then quickly jumped at the man and slammed both fists onto the top of his head.

This time, the man actually staggered backwards and grabbed at his head. When he put his hands down, blood was smeared in his palms.

A random female patron shouted out this time. "She hurt him!" Followed by another round of cheers. If anything, it seemed the others in the tavern were on her side.

"Take him out, peasant girl!"

"Yeah, teach him a lesson!"

"Don't let him get away this time!"

It seems like her opponent was a known nuisance here.

Someone tapped on her shoulder a couple times. She turned to find the bartender handing her a shot glass filled with… something. Leonie quickly downed it without a thought and turned back to her opponent.

The drink kicked in, and she was back at it again.

* * *

Leonie woke up suddenly in a bed that wasn't her own. Then, a stinging pain rang through her head. It took her a moment to regain her bearings and assess her current situation. Judging from the look of the room, she was in an inn lodging. Mostly wooden interior, a lockbox had been knocked over on the foot of her bed. There was light leaking into the room from the small opened window near the ceiling. She had one of her boots on, the other was lying on the floor away from her.

She was in Almyra, and she had a hell of a night. As she sat at the edge to recover from her splitting hangover, the memories of the previous night returned to her.

After taking that shot, which if she recalled correctly was named 'Desert Scorpion', Leonie went on to make quick work of Mortimer, the large man she was fighting. She had gone at his legs again and that time his abnormal weight did the work for her.

Then, she was paraded around the tavern with cheers, applause, and more alcohol. She learned more about the village she was in, Denis. Then everything after that was a bit of a blur, but she eventually wound up going to the inn across the road and spent the night here.

Then it hit her. Her things were gone! In her drunken state one or some of the people in the tavern went off with her stuff! Her lance! And all that gold!

Leonie dropped back onto the bed and let out an audible breath. "What was I doing?"

Then, a knock at her door. Leonie got up and quickly put herself into a presentable state—she went to sleep in her armor so her back was sore—and went to open it. A young girl, maybe about thirteen, was there.

"Hi. My mom let you stay the night since you drove away the bad guys at the tavern. But you didn't have any money so she told me to kick you out when you woke up."

* * *

_**This is going to be a short work, maybe around 5 or 6 chapters, exploring Claude and Leonie's ending. Future chapters are going to be a lot longer than this one. I'm not entirely sure if any characters other than Nader will appear since this takes place in Almyra, but we'll see. Also, aside from the retainer, Rihards, and the villain I have, this won't have too many OCs despite there not being many named Almyran characters in 3H.**_

_**Both Claude and Leonie are of equal importance in this so I'm hoping that one won't take more of a lead role than the other once this story gets going.**_

_**I'm a bit inconsistent when it comes to updates, so hopefully this doesn't take a whole year to finish. Anyway, thanks for reading.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_Imperial Year 1187. 4th day of the Harpstring Moon. Almyra is under the rule of its new King. Hospitable relations between the United Kingdom of __Fódlan and Almyra have proceeded as planned. While the leaders of both nations are bound by an unbreakable trust, the people have remained wary. Relations with foreigners in both Almyra and __Fódlan remain guarded and sometimes even unresponsive. For the Ruler of Fódlan and the King of Almyra, there is still much to be done.  
_

_Leonie Pinelli has been robbed blind after an eventful night in an Almyran Tavern. However, she is not one to be discouraged so easily, and with nowhere to go but forward, she trudges on with an air of optimism._

* * *

It was during these independent practice sessions where Claude felt the most relaxed with himself; Away from all the petty politics and harrowing hogwash. An open field, a target, and a bow and arrow was all Claude felt he needed in the golden Almyran prairie, away from the cushy palace. He didn't hate the royal life or responsibility, but he's realized that he's been needing more of these breaks recently.

Claude released his breath as he allowed the arrow to fly. Three bullseyes in a row. It was good to stay sharp, but it bothered Claude a bit to know that he was at his physical peak during a time where his bow wasn't needed.

Maybe he should start an archer's company.

A clearing throat drew his attention once he set his bow down.

"I hope this morning finds you well, my King," Rihards stood firm a few yards from where Claude was standing. He was in his usual garb; a pale gold canvas tunic. A silk black sash embroidered in silver hung from his shoulder and rested against his opposite hip. A wrapped headband encircled his wavy black hair. Though his lean build was as expected for a former Almyran mercenary, his gentle red eyes implored the trust of those who spoke with him. "I have news for the day."

Claude smiled upon seeing his vassal. Between his father's bedridden state and Nader's policing of the mainland, Rihards was the only person in the palace whom Claude felt comfortable confiding in. Of course, the man didn't need to know everything, but he was a good presence to vent his thoughts and frustrations to. "Rihards. If you will."

"Yes," The King's vassal removed a roll of parchment from his waistband and began to read it aloud. "In this 4th day of the Harpstring Moon, Imperial Year 1187, our earnest royal messengers bear to us the following: As anticipated, the Kingdom of Fódlan has completed its annexation of the former Adrestian Empire. Brigid's short tenure as a state of the Empire has come to an end, and it has once again allied itself with Dagda."

Claude nodded. Though it had only just now become official, he felt as though the Adrestian Empire had met its end when Edelgard fell. He frowned at the thought. Claude couldn't help but wonder how things would have turned out if Byleth were allied with Edelgard or Dimitri instead.

Claude offered to send help to quell any remaining Empire rebels, but Byleth understandably declined. Almyra in its current state still was not completely friendly towards Fódlan. Claude couldn't assume that the military would carry out those orders had he sent them out. Apparently, some of his old Golden Deer classmates helped, though the only one he'd heard from about it was Hilda.

He silently wondered how Leonie was doing.

Rihards paused briefly to catch his breath before continuing again. "In other news, Fódlan merchants and mercenaries, mostly from the Leicester Alliance territories, have begun travelling to Almyra in search of work. Though this has a direct correlation of the effects of the King's first Order of the Monarch, most Almyran people have met these foreigners with increased caution. It is not uncommon for businesses to reject giving work and service to Fódlan peoples."

Claude simply put a hand to his chin upon hearing this. "I see. That's a bit of a shame, but we shouldn't be surprised. These things don't change overnight. As Teach and I settle into our new positions, the discomfort should ease up over time."

"Of course, my King. Though it should be a good sign that the demilitarization of the Fódlan-Almyra border earlier this year was executed without any issue." Rihards smiled warmly. No one in the palace needed to know this, but Claude's connections with House Goneril had much to do with this.

Almyra was halfway through its spring season now. The cold and dry days were making way for the simmering arid days. But for now, at least, it was a nice in-between with a little rain mixed in. Almyran spring was not like any of the other three seasons, but it was a perfect time for change.

"That was all I had to say. There are a few dumps of logistical information contained here, but I am sure you would not care to hear about it from me."

Claude smirked. "Hm. You know me too well," Claude picked up his bow and rested it over his shoulder. The two guards that were standing by prompted themselves to reclaim the arrows he had used. "Let's go, Rihards. I think it's about time we supplied the palace guards with their warm season armor."

* * *

A Fódlan girl with bright orange hair sat quietly on a bench in the center of town. Though it was still very early in the morning, many workers had already begun their morning shift and workday preparations.

Leonie was lost. With no gold, there was no way for her to get food. With no lance she had no way of working for gold. All she had was the clothes on her back.

And her armor.

She re-evaluated her situation for a moment. Her armor wasn't particularly important to her, and it was made of some rather expensive and protective metal. It was also crafted in Garreg Mach. Anything originating from the Church of Seiros was sure to go for a high value. If she were able to sell it at an armory, she should be able to use that money to purchase another weapon. She might even have some left over for food.

Leonie removed her armor and couldn't help but feel bare without it. The clothing she wore underneath was protective enough, but she was used to fighting on horseback. With no horse and no external armor, she was about as equipped as any other commoner from her home village.

The cloudless sky made way for the scorching sun as the red dirt underneath her feet absorbed the natural heat. Now that she was out of her armor, she was somehow even more conscious now of the amount of clothing she was wearing in spite of the warm weather.

Leonie entered what she could only assume was an armor seller's place as she carried her old gear in her arms. The old establishment was built from mortared stone and capped by a thatched straw roof. An older woman was standing behind the counter rearranging some articles of clothing on the racked wall. The seller boasted the usual black Almyran curls on her head, but she was wearing light clothing underneath her smith's apron to accommodate the warm weather. She had a composite bow and a closed leather quiver strapped to her back.

Leonie cleared her throat to let her presence be known. "Erm, excuse me."

The lady turned her head to look at Leonie. She simply nodded to her before returning to what she was doing.

Leonie wasn't sure how to respond to this, so she simply continued. "I have some armor here that I'd like to sell. A cuirass, a pair of gauntlets, and faulds with tassets, all smithed at Garreg Mach."

The woman simply sighed and got down. She was shorter than Leonie had realized, as she was standing on a wooden stepladder the entire time.

"I'll take a look, sure." The woman took the armor from her hands and set it on the counter, examining it. "Huh. I can tell you weren't lying."

Leonie crossed her arms. "So how much will you give me for those?"

The woman looked up at her again. "You look like an Alliance type. You a mercenary?"

Leonie wasn't sure why this was important, but she didn't want to offend her, lest she decide to underhand her return. "Um. Yeah."

"I see." The woman picked up the gauntlets and stroked the fabric that lined the inside. "Yes. Have you been getting turned down by potential clients here in Almyra?"

Leonie raised an eyebrow. Was she misunderstanding something? "No. I didn't come to Almyra looking for work."

The woman simply nodded and looked back down at the armor. "It seems this armor has seen its share of history."

"I fought in the war."

"Ah." She put the gauntlets down and examined the tassets. "These are rather high quality. You must have been someone of a higher stature to have been entrusted with this during wartime."

Leonie simply said nothing.

"Alright. I'll take all of it for 12500 Gold."

Leonie nearly did a spit take.

"Wh-" She cleared her throat. "Sorry. Could you say that again?"

"For the cuirass, the gauntlets, and the articles below the waist, I'll give you 12500."

Leonie felt just as she did upon hearing it the first time. "Wha- yes! I'll accept that amount!"  
"Why are you so surprised?"

That amount could last her the next few days, at least. Leonie stepped forward. "I- sorry. It's just–I was in a rut and selling this was just a spur of the moment idea of mine. I kind of got robbed last night while I was drunk."

The woman made an 'o' with her mouth and nodded, as though realizing something. "You must be the Alliance peasant girl from the tavern last night."

Leonie blinked. "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't try to hide it. This village isn't so big, news spreads quickly. You took out Hakan and Mortimer in a bar fight all by yourself. Those two have been making the night life hell recently, so you sure did everybody a favor."

"Um, sure."

The woman placed the armor under the counter and began to collect coins from a nearby cabinet. "My younger brother is the owner of that tavern, but he's out of town for the month. In his stead, I can thank you for taking care of business. I'll let you search through my wares for a discount."

Leonie felt a tingle travel up her spine and into her neck. She couldn't help but beam at her. "For real? Wow, thanks. I'll give your place a look then."

The woman tied the bag and handed it to Leonie. "There you go," Then, she went around the counter. "I'm sure you won't be too familiar with most of what I have for sale, so I'll help you. It's all traditional Almyran gear. Some of it's smithed in our own forge. A lot of our stuff comes here from the capital."

The woman looked her down and up, scrutinizing her clothing and also probably her figure. "You definitely don't have the body type of a Fódlan noble."

Leonie wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or a slight at her femininity. She also didn't know how the armorer could tell considering Leonie was wearing a leather top over a baggy linen shirt that reached her forearms.

She decided to take a look around. The mortared stone walls didn't allow many shelves or hooks, so most things were displayed standing or on a mannequin torso. It wasn't long before she realized that a lot of the armor being sold here probably offered less protection than what she was currently wearing.

"Yeah. You're gonna want to take some of that off."

Leonie shrugged. It probably wasn't the right weather for these kinds of clothes anyway.

* * *

Rihards appeared before Claude again in his study. "I have received more news, my King."

Claude put down his quill. He was busy at the moment, but it had to be important if Rihards arrived here unannounced. "What is it?"

"Word has made it that Count Surrey will be arriving in approximately three days for diplomatic relations."

Claude stood up. The Noble House Surrey was not an immediately obvious influential power in the Leicester Alliance, but its proximity to House Riegan allowed it to have a better understanding of the greater House. Surrey demanded a greater presence during Alliance summits for this reason. Claude had never met the Count in person. "In three days? He's nearly two weeks early. What's with the rush?"

Rihards sauntered over to meet Claude at his desk. "Word has reached Derdriu that the current Almyran King is none other than the former heir to the Noble House Riegan."

"Is that so," Considering House Surrey's lack of direct involvement in the war, it was no surprise that they would be suspicious of the neighboring warrior nation suddenly being spearheaded by House Riegan. The Count was probably just fearing some possible invasion or something. "Well, begin the preparations for our noble guest, then. This is the first time an Alliance Noble is visiting the Royal Palace in a very long time." It has been since his parents were wed.

Rihards bowed. "I will get to it." The man turned and took his leave.

Claude sighed and returned to his work. With the news that someone from the Leicester Alliance was coming, Claude was reminded of his friends from the Golden Deer. He was sure they would all meet again, but perhaps not all at once. After the war, pretty much all of them went their separate ways. Lorenz was definitely busy upholding his new responsibilities as Count Gloucester. A part of Claude wished he was the one coming instead.

Hilda had apparently begun selling her handmade trinkets and accessories as a business. He received a letter from her recently that she was thinking of opening an artisan academy. Claude wished he could see it. He'd never seen Hilda work towards a real goal before, and the two of them were quite close during their time in the Officers Academy.

One of Hilda's letters mentioned that Raphael had become a knight. Claude was happy to hear about it. He wrote a letter to Raphael's hometown to wish him well, but he was yet to receive anything back. Claude didn't mind. As an orphan with a younger sister, he was sure the large man was busy.

Claude hadn't heard anything from Ignatz or Marianne since the end of the war. He wasn't too surprised; they were probably two of the least outgoing students in the Golden Deer House. Knowing them, Claude was sure they were both doing fine.

Claude knew about Marianne's fondness for Dimitri, bless her soul. He'd even tried to encourage her to join him in the Blue Lion House, but after everything that happened, he could only wonder if her insistence on staying with the Golden Deer was a blessing for her, or a curse for Dimitri. Would she have kept him lifted up? Or would he have dragged him down with her?

Lysithea was the one he was worried about, though. When Claude learned about her lifespan situation, he offered to bring her to Almyra or Derdriu to assist in searching for a cure, but she declined and insisted on searching on her own. She explained that the only known connection to her current affliction was the deceased Emperor Edelgard, who shared the same situation. Claude would write her, but he had no idea where her journey would have brought her.

As for Leonie…

Claude stood up and checked through his personal mail. Outside of Almyra, only Judith, Claude's friends in the Golden Deer, and the United Kingdom's ruler were permitted to send mail to him personally. Claude sifted through the small pile and checked the name on each one. Most of them were from Hilda. He received one from Raphael very soon after the war ended. Lastly, he received a painting of the sunrise at Garreg Mach from Ignatz, but the long message that accompanied it was scribbled out and replaced by a simple 'Good Luck!'

Nothing from Leonie.

Claude couldn't tell what she could be busy doing. He never asked her what her plans were after the war ended, but he had promised her to travel the world together. He meant a little more than that when he said it, but he could never tell how Leonie took it. She refused his gold and insisted she pay off her debts to her home village using her own earned money.

That must have been it. She probably missed the company of her family and old neighbors. With them around, she probably forgot about their little promise.

Leonie. A really fascinating woman, she was two years older than him. Neither of them were particularly drawn to one another upon arriving at the Officers Academy. The nineteen-year old Leonie Pinelli was not a person of interest to Claude in an Officers Academy filled from top to bottom with interesting persons. On the other hand, Claude's good looks and status as the heir to the Noble House Riegan, while enticing to many female students in the Academy, did nothing to pique Leonie's interest, never mind that he was a couple years younger than her.

Then they began to connect pretty much by accident. Both Claude and Leonie were very doting on the professor. Byleth being the son of the Blade Breaker Jeralt who Leonie looked up to so much caused her to be around him a lot. Claude, as the cunning House Leader, liked to spend as much time as possible around the mysterious professor. The stoic Professor, seeing nothing more than two sprightly and enthusiastic archers, decided to keep both of them together for most extracurricular activities, and often shared the same responsibilities in battle.

The two of them became friends, and then eventually it turned into a bit of a crush on Claude's end. There's no way Leonie didn't catch on, but her inaction was enough of a message for him.

Claude chuckled and began to clean up the paper mess he made on his desk. They all had their responsibilities and aspirations as adults, but Claude often wished they could all just go back to their carefree academy days.

A guard peered in from the doorway. Upon seeing the young King, he stood in clear view and stiffened. "My King. A scout from the southwest region bears a report from General Nader."

Claude furrowed a brow, his pristine face wrinkling. Claude told Nader not to send any reports unless something important came up. "Well, that's not good. Is the man in trouble?"

The guard bowed before continuing. "A band of Alliance mercenaries have caused civil unrest in the village of Asronan. They have barricaded themselves inside the stables and have remained there for the last two days."

Claude sat back down and brought his hand up to his face. What a group of idiots. "Are you serious? What is Nader doing about it?"

"My King. Nader is hoping to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and so has surrounded the stables with his men. The village has been without its horses for two days now and provisioners have been unable to continue trade with nearby settlements. He is worried the mercenaries have begun turning to the horses for food."

"So, this has been going on for two days? Nader isn't the type of man to just sit tight and allow things to stagnate like that. What do they want?"  
The guard frowned. "Er," he looked through the paper he was holding once more before turning to Claude sheepishly. "Forgive me, my King, but Nader seems to have left that out of his report."

Claude sighed. Typical Nader. "Ugh. Alright. Tell Rihards that I want him to be in Asronan by tomorrow morning. And he needs to be back here before the 7th."

"Of course, my King." With that, the guard took off.

Claude honestly shouldn't be surprised that something like this has taken place. Leicester and Almyra had been at odds for so long that an imposed peace was unfailingly going to lead to some disagreements from the common people.

He sat back down and rested his head in his heads, staring up at the ceiling. His plans to spread acceptance and cultural curiosity are sure off to a rocky start.

* * *

Leonie stepped out of the weapons shop with a new lance in hand. Though Almyran made, its build was akin to the ones seen in the Leicester Alliance. Its blade was forged from iron, but it was solid and the pole was made from lightened aluminum, wrapped in three layers of nylon. It was slighter than Leonie's previous lance, but as she was on foot rather than on horseback, she was able to make use of her agility with the lighter polearm.

She also bought a short bow and a new leather quiver. She was hoping she wouldn't need it, but she bought a pack of arrows just in case.

Her outfit had changed as well. If it weren't for her bright orange hair, Leonie could have blended in with the locals. She wore a black sleeveless turtleneck underneath a bronze metal plate that encircled her abdomen, which was held up by a pair of suspenders. She replaced her baggy slacks with dark leggings, and she now wore a utility belt. On her forearms, she wore a special pair of armlets that were reinforced by lining the inside of an animal's vertebrae with fur and leather. She decided to keep the same cuffed boots that she was wearing before.

She wore Jeralt's necklace over her shirt. She was a bit conscious of the scars visible on her exposed arms, but scars weren't an uncommon sight on most of the locals here, so she decided that it probably wasn't a big deal.

Leonie had eaten breakfast before looking for a weapon. Almyran food was certainly… different, but it wasn't bad either, and Leonie never failed to clean her plate. It was wasteful to leave food behind, after all. Smoked bison seasoned with some spices she wasn't familiar with and some crushed herbs. The mushrooms were good, too.

From what the armor seller told her, the next nearest village in the direction of the palace was called Asronan. That would probably be the next best place to stop and rest on her way to see Claude. She had no more business here, so she made her way to the covered wagon out near the outskirts of town.

Even though the armor seller told her that Almyrans were wary of outsiders, they were certainly being very helpful to her.

She approached the coach driver and whistled to catch his attention.

"Hey, you!"

"Hrm, wha? The stocky coach driver turned out to be an elderly man. His greying mustache reached all the way up to his sideburns, but his neck and chin were clean shaven.

"How much for a trip to Asronan?" She asked.

The elderly driver leaned in and sniffled. "I'm sorry, young lad. I couldn't quite hear you. My ears aren't the same as they used to."

Did he just call her 'young lad'? "I said, how much for a trip to Asronan?" She raised her voice.

"Oh. You want to go to Asronan? Sure, sure. If we leave now, we should get there before sunset."

"How much is the fare?"

"Hmm?"

"I said how much is the fare!?"

"What's not fair?"

Leonie sighed. "Sorry. I meant; how much do I have to pay!?" This man was lucky she was used to dealing with the elderly. It was almost endearing, but it instead bordered on frustrating since this man was offering a service. This gentleman was due for retirement, it seemed.

"Pay? Why would you have to pay?"

Leonie blinked and quietly hopped inside.

She peered her head out the window and looked up to the driver. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you okay?" Leonie asked.

"Why do you ask?"

The mercenary scratched her chin. "It's just, you've been calling me a boy all this time and I'm worried that maybe your eyesight isn't all there either."

The man laughed heartily and urged his horses forward. The wagon began to move. "Ohoho. Don't worry about it, sonny. I refer to everybody who's younger than me that way."

Leonie decided to ignore the other issue. "No, I mean… are you sure you can see where you're going?"

"Of course! I've made the trip to Asronan countless times over the many years. Why, just from the direction I'm leading my nags, they probably know the way already!"

So, the horses were old too?

"Never mind," Leonie thought about poking her head back into the wagon, but noticed the empty seat next to the driver. There was no one else in the coach with her. "Hey, sir. Do you mind if I take a seat next to you?"

* * *

"What are you heading to Asronan for, Miss?"

"It's just a stop on my trip. I'm headed somewhere." Leonie gazed out onto the wavy hills of the Southwest Almyran Prairie. The oscillating curves decorating the horizon was embellished with the odd tree here and there. The only thing separating the Leicester Alliance and Almyra was a coast-to-coast mountain range. Geographically, Sauin Village was closer to this place than it was to the bustling city of Enbarr in the former Adrestian Empire. Yet she felt as though she were in a whole different world, admiring the scenery like this.

If Ignatz were here, he'd know exactly how to get the most out of this scenery in a painting.

"If I were you, I wouldn't spend too long in Asronan. From what my aged mind can remember, they don't take too kindly to folk from Fódlan."

This surprised Leonie. For some reason, she'd been treated so well up to this point that the possibility that people wouldn't be too into her presence was pushed to the back of her mind. "Don't worry. I was just planning to stop there for a bit. I wanted to check out the Royal Palace, that's all."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Oh! You have business there, I take it?"

"Something like that."

"Oh, I didn't realize you were someone important. From the way you were dressed, I would have guessed that you have been in Almyra for at least a few months already. Ho, ho, ho!"

As the man laughed away, Leonie felt one of her ears perk up as a constant patting sound reached her. She turned to her right and analyzed her surroundings. Neither the man nor his horses seem to have noticed anything, but Leonie's ears were trained extensively from years of hunting and guard duty.

Leonie got on her feet rather suddenly.

"Whoa! Hey, Miss! That's a bit dangerous don't you think?"

"We have company."

She reached for her bow. In the distance, she could see it. A presence under the golden grass on the plains, darting towards them. Then, it was followed by four, five, possibly six more.

"Don't worry about it, Miss! I'm sure you're just imagining it. The bobcats don't come around these parts until the Harpstring Moon, usually."

_Bobcats!?_

"Uh. It _is_ the Harpstring Moon, sir." Leonie quivered.

The man seemed to ponder this for a moment before nearly bouncing out of his seat as though it were hot. "What!? It is!?"

The two horses carrying them seemed to notice, as the wagon wavered a bit.

Leonie grabbed her seat's backrest to steady herself and looked back to him. "I don't mean to alarm you s-"

"My grandson's birthday was on the first! D'oh! Paven, you confounded oaf! You completely forgot about your own grandson!" He reeled back and brought a palm to his head in shame.

_Well, perhaps it's a good thing he hasn't realized the danger._ Leonie mused.

The woman took out her bow and readied an arrow. The group of predators approached them steadily. They were nearly silent, and the horses still have not been alerted of their presence. Under the grass, most people would not have detected them either.

Leonie spotted her shot at the leader and fired. She thought her shot was sure, but before the arrow landed, the animal made its presence known by jumping over it.

She only caught a glimpse of it, but there was no doubt. They were being chased by bobcats.

Now the nags were spooked.

"Whoa! Hey!" The man turned to Leonie as he tried to steady his horses. "What are you doing there, Miss! You're freakin' out my steeds!"

Leonie wasted no time and fired out another one. This time, she aimed for one of the trailers.

When she let the arrow fly, she was met with a squeal and a hiss. That's one down. A waste of good meat and fur, but in a weird way, she was the prey defending herself from the predator in this instance.

"Watch what you're doing!" The driver shouted. "I'm carrying a ton of veal in the back wagon!"

And _that _explained why they were being pursued in the first place.

Leonie readied another and focused. It was tough keeping her aim steady when her ride was moving unpredictably. Tougher still that she was aiming at movement in the grass rather than actual targets.

She let one loose, and another bobcat went down.

Leonie stopped to count. The leading bobcat was getting closer, but some of the others had fallen back. The numbers had fallen to only two.

"Come on." Leonie readied another arrow, her sights set on the leader. She was given a short chance as the turbulence stayed calm.

"Hey, relax!" The coach driver waved the whips on his horses and the wagon wavered again. Leonie accidentally let loose an arrow which pinned itself harmlessly onto a dirt patch. She cursed under her breath and readied another one.

"Do you think you could steady the wagon for a moment? I'm trying to get a good shot here."

The man blinked twice, the wrinkles on his face curling behind his matted whiskers. "Hmm? Get down here, will you? I can't hear you from up there."

Leonie rolled her eyes and readied another arrow. "Come here." She focused herself on the leader, and she was able to visualize the sly predator underneath the grass. She studied the difference in the grass, and saw the movement pattern of her target in a marked trail. Inhaling a deep breath, she froze completely, blocking out the world around her.

Then, everything went completely black, and the only thing she could see was the tip of her arrow, and the bobcat's neck. Time slowed to an extreme standstill, and her feet felt firm underneath her.

She let the arrow loose, and she received a shrill shrieking mew in return. The trailer stopped in its tracks and retreated. It was over.

* * *

"We made it! This is Asronan Village!" The coach driver uttered happily.

Leonie stepped down from the coach and observed the village. It looked completely empty. Houses built from wood and stone were situated far apart from one another, allowing a comfortable space for passersby and common folk.

There were no people visible, however. The village certainly looked lived-in, but the orange illumination of the Almyran sunset gave the place an air of melancholy.

"Um. Thanks." The woman began walking forward cautiously to explore the area. As she walked, she couldn't help but feel alone as the driver behind her entered the carriage.

She woke up the previous morning to the refreshing sounds of the waves in an Alliance coast town. Today she woke up with a major hangover in an Almyran village she couldn't name. Was this the place where she would wake up tomorrow?

As she walked, she began to hear some bustle coming from the heart of town. She hastened her pace just to be near someone, anyone. She hoped it wasn't bandits.

Instead, she was cut off by a pair of armed Almyran guards who appeared from an alley. Leonie looked back to see two more cut off her escape. Three men and a woman. They were all armed with short swords. Their armor suggested that they weren't common mercenaries. One of the stepped forwards. He was also holding a shield. Probably their leader.

"Halt. We have situated a lockdown in this village. What are you doing out of doors, Fódlan girl?"

Well, it doesn't _seem _to be a shakedown. "Um. I just got here from another town just south of here. Is there something happening here?"

"Yes, but it is nothing that concerns you. There is a tavern just east of here. Go there. The Almyran Nation Guard has an issue that needs to be taken care of here."

Leonie nodded. The Nation Guard was here? It wasn't her business, but something big was definitely happening here. "I'll make my way over then."

One of the other guards stopped her. "Wait a second. You wouldn't happen to be with a band of Alliance mercenaries, would you?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's it to you?"

Another guard clicked her tongue. "Don't be ridiculous. If this woman were with them, we would have seen her walk out of the stable."

Leonie was able to deduce that the issue in this town seemed to stem from the presence of a group of mercenaries from outside of Almyra. The old coach driver mentioned distrust towards outsiders, but he never talked about anything specific. The whole village was in lockdown!

She couldn't go anywhere as the four guards began bickering among themselves. The shielded man, as it turned out, wasn't actually their leader or anything as the other three guards didn't seem to hold him in any high regard.

Another person entered the group, his voice large and low, exerting his presence.

"And what seems to be the issue here?"

The guards turned to the new person and stepped aside. Leonie's eyes lit up as she saw the man's numerous scars, and the messy, flowing beard. His striking amber eyes drew her attention. His bear-like build made him stick out.

She couldn't help herself. "Nader!" She called out. The other guards seemed alarmed at the fact that she recognized him.

The man blinked for a few moments and studied her, as if trying to make something out from her appearance. Then, a wave of realization hit him as though he realized something.

"Oh. It's you!"

* * *

_**Happy 2020 everyone. I would just like to point out that the next chapter may take a while. This chapter was written over the course of a week, and the next one will likely take much longer. With that said, I'd like to thank everyone that has taken the time to read this little creative dump of mine and plans on following it. I don't know where I got the dumb idea of writing a whole story like this from, but I know my limits enough not to make this a huge thing.  
**_

_**Thanks for reading.**_


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